England together with their Welsh counterparts find themselves placed in the same pool for the World Cup in 2027, setting up a highly-anticipated pool stage encounter in the tournament Down Under. They are joined in Pool F by Tonga and Zimbabwe.
This pairing mirrors their famous clash in the group phase of the 2015 World Cup, where Wales' victory at Twickenham played a part in the hosts' shock group stage elimination.
Key Group Pairings
The Irish alongside Scotland also share a pool together, just as the scenario from the France 2023 tournament. In that tournament, they secured a convincing victory, with their opponents unable to progress to the knockout stages.
Uruguay and Portugal, who each made a strong impression as underdogs in the last World Cup, complete that Pool D.
Notably, the victors of both Pool D and Pool F are kept apart from holders and world number one South Africa until the final, presuming the South Africans top their assigned pool.
Tournament Implications
If the groups conclude in line with the current global standings, further top favourites like New Zealand and France would also be kept apart from both the English and the Irish until the championship decider.
Under those circumstances, Los Pumas would be the remaining top-ranked nation on that side of the elimination bracket as those northern hemisphere teams.
Hosts Draw Major Fixture
Tournament hosts Australia have been drawn alongside their great rivals and three-time winners New Zealand in Group A.
Australia will open the World Cup in the city of Perth on October 1st, 2027 in a marquee fixture designed to launch the event.
In other groups, holders South Africa have been paired with Italy, the Lelos and the Oaks. The French team are grouped with Japan, 2031 hosts the USA and Samoa.
Expanded Format for 2027
Los Pumas will face Fiji, Los Leones and the Canadian team as the World Cup expands to 24 teams from the 20 who took part in France.
The 2027 tournament will feature a round of 16 stage for the very first time in the competition's history.
While the victor of Pool F may be kept apart from some of the game's heavyweights early on, they will meet the second-placed team from Pool B – probably the Italians – in the last 16.
Four of the remaining six group winners will face a team that finished third from the initial group phase.
Rugby World Cup 2027 Groups
Pool A
- New Zealand
- Australia
- Chile
- Hong Kong
Pool B
- South Africa
- Italy
- Georgia
- Romania
Pool C
- Argentina
- Fiji
- Spain
- Canada
Pool D
- Ireland
- Scotland
- Uruguay
- Portugal
Pool E
- France
- Japan
- USA
- Samoa
Pool F
- England
- Wales
- Tonga
- Zimbabwe
